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THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 



The County School Unit means that all the dis- 
tricts of each county, except independent city districts, 
are combined into one school district administered by 
a County Board of Education elected by the people, 
and by local district boards in co-operation with the 
County Board. The County School Unit also means 
a uniform school tax on all property in each county, a 
free high school within reach of every country boy 
and girl, equal educational advantages, and the same 
length of school term for all the schools of the county. 
The County Board of Education elects the County 
Superintendent of Schools. 



This pamphlet contains extracts from the report of the Committee on a Larger 
School Unit, apnointed by the Missoviri State Teachers' Association. 

/i 

Remarkable Educational Progress in Missouri. — It is easy to write a story 
of the marvelous educational growth in Missouri. We may tell that in 1893 the pub- 
lic schools owned property amounting to only $11,000,000, but that by 1903 the in- 
vestments in public school property had increased to $23,000,000 and by 1913 to over 
$45,000,000, or a doubUng of value each decade. We may tell that in 1903 the total 
expense of maintaining the public schools was only a little more than $8,000,000, but 
that in 1913 more than $16,000,000 was spent on the public schools; that in 1903 we 
paid high school teachers $485,000, but in 1913 we paid high school teachers $1,606,000; 
that in 1893 there were 20 high schools in Missouri that were fully accredited by the 
State University, but in ten years this number grew to 70, and in the next ten years 
to 165. Similar facts relative to growth in equipment and school libraries and to 
increase in number of pupils attending high schools may be presented. 

Deplorable Conditions in Country Schools. — ^But such a report fails to tell 
\'ou'that in 1912-13, 348,000 pupils were enrolled in the rural schools of Missouri and 
only 342,000 in the town schools, or a little more than one-half were in the country. 
However, on the half of the children who live in towns last year the people spent for 
schools $12,085,000, but on the half who lived in the country only $4,317,000. That 
is, the people are spending three times as much annually to educate the town boy and 
town girl as the country boy and country girl. Such a report fails to tell you that 
the one-half of the children who live in the towns and cities have the use of school 
property amounting to $38,000,000, but that the one-half in the country have the use 
of only $7,000,000 of property, or that the country on an average has invested only 
$20 per pupil in school buildings and equipment while the city has invested $110 per 
pupil. Thus the town and city pupils are now furnished with five times as good build- 
CD' 



2 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. y 

ings as the country children and have annually expended upon their education three 
times as much as the country children. All this is happening in Imperial Missouri, 
and in free America, where all people are "born free and equal." Is it any wonder 
that under such conditions many of the best type of rural citizens are moving their 
families to the town and the city for social and educational advantages? 

Lack of High Schools in the Country.- — As conditions now are, scarcely 20 per 
cent of the country boys and girls who complete the eight grades have any opportu- 
nity to secure a high school education, whereas 80 per cent of the city boys and girls 
have such opportunity; so we are giving a high school education each year to 36,000 
town and city pupils and to 8,000 country school pupils. As indicated above, the 
city high schools have been built in the last twenty years, and so have the splendid 
city schools for the elementary grades. While this rapid progress has been made in 
the city schools, the country schools have been marking time. A continuation of 
present conditions means a division of the people of the State into two castes: the cul- 
tured, ruling urban class and the uneducated serving rural class. This latter class 
will be in time driven into tenancy and practical slavery. Such a condition portends 
unhappiness for the people and instability for the government. 

Poor Methods in the Country Schools. — The waste in the rural schools is far 
greater than any one realizes or than any one can estimate. These schools are rapidly 
passing into the hands of third grade certificate teachers. The rural schools are the 
training schools for the town and city teachers. This training is secured at the ex- 
pense of the children of the rural school. A study of the methods used in the rural 
schools by the majority of teachers will convince one that the efificiency of many teach- 
ers could be doubled by proper guidance in methods of teaching. The organization 
and classification of the schools is also poorly made and greatly increases the waste. 

Country School Progress vs. City School Progress. — Perhaps some one feels 
that the rural schools are making rapid progress. The facts are that while the city 
schools increased expenditures 121 per cent in ten years, the country schools increased 
expenditures in the same period only 53 per cent. When we consider the increased 
cost of living and the increased price of nearly all commodities, the percentage of 
increase in school expenditure in rural communities has little more than kept pace 
with the general increase in prices. So that this increase of 53 per cent does not by 
any means indicate that the schools are 53 per cent better, for the real improvement in 
rural school conditions has been almost negligible. In the same ten years, the average 
tax rate for school purposes has increased in the country from 46 cents on the $100 to 
56 cents on the $100, while town rate has increased from 81 cents on the $100 to 108 
cents on the $100. That is, an increase of 10 cents against 27 cents on the $100. 

Poverty Not the Cause of Poor Country Schools. — This lack of funds in the 
.rural schools is not due to poverty. For although only two-fifths of the assessed 
value of the State lies in the country, over four-sevenths of the actual valuation of 
the State is country property. Property in the cities is assessed at a much greater 
per cent of its real value than country property. The rate of taxation in the rural 
schools is 56 cents on the $100 assessed value against 108 cents on the $100 assessed 
value in the cities. However, in the country the rate of taxation for rural schools is 
about 14 cents on the $100 of actual cash value against 54 cents on $100 of actual cash 
value of city property. State Boards of Equalization have never yet in the history of 
Missouri had the courage or temerity to raise materially the assessed value of country 
property. Although in the past twenty years all country property has rapidly in- 
creased in value, much country property has doubled in value, some trebled and even 
quadrupled in value, yet assessed values have advanced very slowly. Some farm land 
is assessed as low as 10 per cent of its real value and much is assessed at 15 per cent 
or 20 per cent of its real value, while property in large cities is assessed at a much 
higher rate. This condition seriously handicaps the rural schools and causes the 
country people to believe that they are paying a high rate for school purposes when in 



, THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 6 

reality the actual rate is excessively low. So it is not poverty that makes the rural 
schools inefficient. 

The State is Not Giving too Much Aid to City Schools. — -Sometimes it is 
charged that the State is helping the city schools more than the rural schools. It is 
true that the Constitution permits the cities to pay a higher local rate for schools than 
the country, but in apportioning its public school funds the State is today paying and 
always has paid a far greater per cent of the cost of maintenance of country schools 
than of city schools. At the present time the State is paying $1 out of every $6 for 
the maintenance of rural schools, and $1 out of every $12 for the cost of mainte- 
nance of city schools. In a few counties, such as Wright and Dent, the State pays 
almost one-half of the cost of maintaining the country schools, whereas in some of 
the wealthy cities the State pays only one-twentieth of the cost of maintenance. Hence, 
the State in apportioning its State funds is doing all that can justly be asked for the 
rural schools. Some other cause must be found for the backward condition of these 
schools. 

Progress in the Country Schools Very Slow. — Some one will probably point 
out the great progress that the country schools are making. Much can be written on 
this subject and many commendable things can be mentioned. Yet a close analysis 
of facts shows us that we are talking much about very small achievements. It is a 
case of "Much ado about little." The improvements are notable because they are 
only little oases in a great desert. Only 7 per cent of the rural schools are properly 
heated and ventilated; only 4 per cent of these schools are worthy of approval; only 
1 per cent are properly lighted; only 5 per cent have walks; less than 50 per cent of 
the pupils are comfortably seated. Ninety-five per cent of the new rural school 
buildings erected last year were of the box-car type, and improperly heated, lighted 
and ventilated. 

County Superintendents Not to Blame. — -We have county superintendents 
who are supposed to look after these things. They are unable to accomplish results: 

First, Because they are not clothed with adequate powers, and do not have any 
assistants or supervisors. 

Second, Because the low salaries paid and the method of selection often fail to 
secure properly trained people for the position. 

Third, The incumbents of the position are responsible to no one. No one has 
power to check their work and pass on its sufficiency and efficiency. Hence, one super- 
intendent works efficiently 300 days of 14 hours each, and another works inefficiently . 
100 days of four hours each, yet both may receive the same annual salary and the 
same hearty approval of the people in a re-election. 

Consolidation Will Not Solre the Problem. — Some one says: "Will not con- 
solidation solve the rural school problem, especially the rural high school problem?" 
In fourteen months under our new consolidated law sixty-two schools have been organ- 
ized, thus consolidating for high school purposes about 300 small rural schools. There 
are 9,400 rural schools in the State. Hence, at the present rate of consolidation more 
than thirty-five years will be required to form a complete system of consolidated schools 
in Missouri. The chances are that the rate of consolidation will be slower in the future, 
since many of the best locations have been organized this year, and since the aid granted 
under the present law is not sufficient for the less wealthy communities. As there are 
in the country schools more than one-third of a million children of school age, and as 
children pass in fourteen years through the school age period, fourteen to twenty, it 
is evident that in thirty-five years more than two generations or almost 1,000,000 
children will have been deprived by the State of high school privileges. 

While consolidation was the best plan possible at the time of its enactment, the 
following are the serious objections to depending permanently upon it: 

a. The present system does not equalize taxation, as some consolidated districts 
are now maintaining schools at 40 cents on the $100 and others are paying 100 cents 
for school purposes and 25 cents for building. 



4 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

b. The present system does not equalize the population in the districts. 

c. The present system permits petty local jealousies. 

d. The present system in ten years will show many cases of overlapping of dis- 
tricts, or rather crowding too many districts into one community, and the overlooking 
or leaving out of territory in "other places of such location and size that it can never 
have a consolidated school. The result will be that we shall have the same absurd, 
inequitable and whimsical division of the State into consolidated districts that we now 
have in our one-room rural districts. 

e. The present system permits the establishment of small inferior consolidated 
schools. 

f. Our present district system is extravagant and wasteful. The waste in our 
present one-room system is fully 25 per cent, as is shown in the next paragraph. No 
sensible business man would for one moment allow a leakage of 25 per cent in his 
business. Yet we permit this in our school system with perfect indifference. The 
same waste will occur in the haphazard consolidation system that we are now pro- 
moting. It means a State "gerrymandered" for school purposes. 

g. The present district system makes progress toward consolidation so slowly 
that it will take a minimum of thirty-five years to make the whole State into a system 
of consolidated schools. 

Daily Cost per Pupil Attending Greater in the Country than Town. — The 

small attendance per teacher in the country schools produces startling figures, when 
the cost of educating a pupil is estimated on a daily basis. On page 346 of the 1913 
Report of the State Superintendent of the Public Schools of Missouri, we find that the 
daily maintenance expense per child attending is $.122 in the country schools, $.115 
in the towns maintaining third class high schools, and $.118 in the towns maintaining 
second class high schools. Thus the towns maintaining third class high schools are 
able to give their pupils ten grades of work for less money per pupil per day than it 
costs to teach eight grades in the country. Or in other words these towns give their 
children 25 per cent more school work than the country for less expense per pupil per 
day. In the case of the towns maintaining second class high schools, for $.118 the 
children receive eleven grades of work against eight grades in the country for $.122, 
or these towns give their children 37^ per cent more school work than the surrounding 
country schools at less cost. Thus it becomes evident that the people are investing 
$4,000,000 in their rural schools and securing less than $3,000,000 in results. Also, 
in the case of towns having first class high schools, when the three large cities are 
excluded, the daily maintenance cost per child attending is $.129 or $.007 per day more 
than the daily cost of the rural schools. Yet these towns give four years of high school 
work to their pupils for slightly more than the country pays for the elementary school 
work; or in other words the waste and leakage in the country schools that would be 
avoided under proper organization, would go far toward maintaining a rural high 
school system. 

One Source Rural School Waste. — One concrete case of waste: Last year a 
rural district maintained an eight months term of school at an expense of more than 
$600, and yet the average daily attendance was only three pupils. Why is it necessary 
to pay more than $200 per year to educate a school child? Missouri is maintaining 
nearly 2,000 rural schools with an average daily attendance of less than 15 pupils. 
Since one teacher can easily teach 30 pupils, and usually handles more than 30 in 
city schools, there is a fearful waste in these small schools. The average daily at- 
tendance per teacher in the rural schools is less than 23. The country schools have 
a less total average daily attendance than the city schools and yet they employ 25 per 
cent more teachers. 

Waste Cannot be Stopped Under District System. — This great loss cannot 
be stopped with our present inflexible district system, a system suited to a pioneer 
country, but incapable of adjusting itself to progress or to changing social and industrial 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

conditions. When we invest over $4,000,000 in rural schools and secure less than 
$3,000,000 in results, it is time to increase the efficiency of our system. What busi- 
ness enterprise would last six months if it paid for 4,000 units of result and received 
only 3,000 units, or how could a business plant run on a basis of 75 per cent efficiency? 
Yet year after year in Missouri, we are doing this very thing with our rural school 
system, and still we boast of the progress that we are making and cling to our archaic 
organization and medieval methods, although we are robbing our own children of 
their most precious heritage — the opportunity to secure a good education. We are 
in favor of better methods of farming; better methods in business; better methods of 
travel; certainly as soon as the facts are clearly presented we will favor better methods 
of financing and administering our rural schools. 

Origin of the Committee on a Larger School Unit.— Since the conditions 
stated above have been known for some time to many teachers of the State, and there 
is a growing dissatisfaction with the small district unit, the Missouri State Teachers' 
Association, in November, 1913, framed the following resolution: 

"Resolved, that the Executive Committee 6i the Missouri State Teachers' Asso- 
ciation be asked to appoint a committee of five to investigate further the need of a 
larger unit of school administration, to formulate definite plans for securing the same, 
with power to act with a view of securing the adoption of said plans, and that it in- 
struct the Executive Committee to provide for the necessary expenses of such inves- 
tigation and subsequent publicity." 

Appointment of the Committee. — -In accordance with that resolution, in 
December, 1913, the Executive Committee of the State Teachers' Association ap- 
pointed the following Committee: W. W. Charters, Dean of the School of Education 
of the Missouri State University, Columbia, Mo., Chairman; George Melcher, Assist- 
ant State Superintendent of Schools, Jefferson City, Mo., Secretary; James T. Mc- 
Donald, County Superintendent of Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; 
Miss Frankie Connell, County Superintendent of Marion County, Hannibal, Mo.; 
and James A. Robeson, County Superintendent of Clay county. Liberty, Mo. 

Committee Begins Work. — -This committee held its first meeting at Columbia, 
Mo., in January, and planned to investigate thoroughly the different units of admin- 
istering and financing rural schools: the small district, the township (or town), and the 
county. The committee soon learned that the district unit is not generally satisfactory 
even where in use. Hence, it was useless to visit states having this unit, especially so 
since the committee was thoroughly familiar with this unit in Missouri. The committee 
also learned that several states having the township unit were dissatisfied with that unit, 
so felt that it was useless to spend money traveling in states that had unsatisfactory 
units. Since no state having the county unit expressed a desire to change to either a 
township or district unit, but all such expressed themselves as satisfied with the county 
unit, it was decided to study first hand the results obtained in such states. So, in 
February, 1914, four members of the committee each visited and studied the operation 
of the county school unit in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Maryland. 
The committee also spent a week at Richmond at the meeting of the Department of 
Superintendents of the N. E. A., and made it their special mission to interview strong 
school men on the county school unit. While the members of the committee expected 
to find a majority of the students of education in favor of the county school unit, they 
were astonished at the remarkable unanimity of opinion for a county unit for school 
administration. Such a unit was endorsed without reservation by members of the 
United States Bureau of Education, professors of education, state superintendents, 
county superintendents, teachers, legislators, members of county boards, state officials 
and private citizens. 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 



STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE. 

The following' statements were made by the different members of the com- 
mittee after the second conference at Columbia. Bach member of the committee 
concurs fully in these individual statements: 

Statement by W. W. Charters.— The county school unit has been tried in 
twelve states, and in none of them has it been a failure. It is now under serious 
consideration in as many more states, and in the next ten years it will be used 
more extensively than at present. It is the next big thing' for rural schools, 
because it provides co-operation in education. What one district cannot do alone, 
one hundred districts in a county can easily do. 

The county school unit will put a high school within six miles of every child 
in the State of Missouri. A single district scheme cannot do this. 

I am in favor of this plan and am working for it, because I want the country 
boy to have as good chance- for an education as a boy who happens to be born 
in town. 

Statement by James T. McDonald.— One of Missouri's big educational prob- 
lems has been and is now the development of her high schools. Not more than 
ten years ago there were comparatively few high schools in the State. During 
recent years the high school situation has changed very materially. At present 
there are high schools in most of the towns and all of the cities of the State. 
The sentiment in favor of high school training is very strong. As indicated 
above, high school advantages are offered boys and girls of the towns and cities. 
The high schools of the towns and cities have had a rapid and substantial de- 
velopment. Their value has become so universally recognized- and hence the 
demand for them so great that the problem of their extension and further devel- 
opment is no longer difficult. 

Our Duty to the Country Children. — Country children ought to have privileges 
equal to those offered city children. To have the advantages of high school train- 
ing is the recognized right of all children. If I am correct in this statement, then 
somewhere there must rest a corresponding duty. We believe that it is the duty 
of the State to afford the opportunity for high school training to its children. The 
educational problem is how to put a high school in reach of the boys and girls 
of the rural communities. Under present la'ws the rural high school problem in 
Missouri cannot be solved. 

The County School Unit Committee in its investigation found that in states 
where the county is the unit much is being done toward the solution of this prob- 
lem.- Some counties in Kentucky and Tennessee have in a few years under the 
county unit plan developed a comparatively complete system of rural high schools. 

High Schools in Tennessee.— The Faragut school— a country school fifteen miles 
out in the country from Knoxville, Tenn. — was inspected. The building is a sub- 
stantial 12-room brick. It is well equipped throughout, modern heating and ven- 
tilating, running water (hot and cold), bathrooms, etc. It offers a four-year 
high school course that has a vital relation to the lives of the children. It forms 
a great community center and has a wonderful uplifting influence on it. The 
grounds are beautiful (twelve acres in all) and on the grounds are baseball fleld, 
tennis courts, shrubs, flowers, agricultural demonstration plots — everything that 
appeals to the country boy and girl. Boys are taught manual training; girls, 
domestic science. The, committee visited a number of other schools of somewhat 
the same character. This one is described to show the possibilities of rural 
high schools under the county unit plan. 

The County Board. — In states where the county is the unit of administration 
the machinery of the school system is operated by the county board. The com- 
mittee was deeply interested in the investigation of the workings of this board. 
The method of securing this board varied greatly. In some states the members 
are elected by a direct vote of the people; in some by an indirect vote, while in 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. - 7 

others they are appointed. The manner of selecting the members of the county- 
board is not material. What the people think about it and what can be accom- 
plished with it are the important thing's. Our committee found that it is highly 
satisfactory where it has been tried. A far more efficient system of schools can 
be organized under a county board than can be under the district plan. In the 
county board is centered considerable authority and a corresponding amount of 
responsibility. The responsibility is placed where it cannot be dodged, and for 
this reason good results are sure to follow. 

Advantages of the County Boa?'d.— Without going into a detailed discussion of 
the benefits of the county board, I simply mention some of them: 

They are— economy in cost of running schools, uniform length of term, uni- 
form opportunities for all children in a county, opportunity for systematized 
county work, longer tenure of teachers, better buildings, better sanitary con- 
ditions, rural high schools can be established and rural supervision can be given 
a chance. There isn't any question but that our investigation showed that the 
above-mentioned things can and will come more rapidly under the county board 
than under any other plan. 

Election of County Superintendent. — Out of the four states visited we found 
four methods of electing the county superintendent, viz.: by direct vote of the 
people, by a body corresponding to our county court, by an elective county 
board, and by a county board appointed by the State Legislature. Many objections 
were found even where in use to all methods, except election by the county board. 
There may be objections to this method, but its advantages are many. It makes 
the county superintendent responsible to the body of men who in turn are respon- 
sible for the school system of the county. This sort of a relation creates a con- 
dition where the superintendent will do his best work and where the board will 
give the opportunity^ and incentive for effective work. 

Statement by Frankie Connell.— There is no doubt that the county unit sys- 
tem has done mucli for the domestic science and manual training departments 
of the schools in the states where it is being used. At the famous Farragut school, 
near Knoxville, Tenn., "where the dream of Commissioner P. P. Claxton is realized, 
the committee was served a dainty five-course luncheon, most of the food served 
having been raised on the twelve-acre farm belonging to the school. The girls 
are taught how to raise and preserve fruit and vegetables from this farm, and 
then how to cook and serve them in the most appetizing manner. 

Cooking in the Colored Schoots. — Not only the white children are receiving the 
benefits of this training, but the colored children as well are being trained to 
become the most efficient servants, both cooks and waiters. At the Maddoxtown 
school in Kentucky the committee -was served v^rith a most delicious lunch, cooked 
and served by the girls of the domestic science department. They each day sup- 
ply the pupils of the school, and many of the neighbors, with nutritious soup 
and bread, for one cent for a lialf pint of soup and one slice of bread. This plan 
is self-supporting. 

I can see no reason Tvhy "witla a small investment in a coal oil stove and a 
few utensils many of our school children could not be supplied each day w^ith a 
hot lunch of wholesome food, while our girls would be learning the most im- 
portant science which can be taught them — how to make and keep a sanitary 
and attractive home. 

Statement by James A. Robeson.— I believe firmly that the county unit for 
the rural schools of Missouri would result speedily in better rural schools and do 
much to help solve the rural problems in this State. In brief, to elect a county 
board of a few men, from the county at large, and charge them specifically with 
the responsibility of administering the rural schools under the guidance and with 
the counsel of the county superintendent, would insure a more businesslike pro- 
gram and yield much more efficient results than can be attained under our 
present small unit of administration and taxation; and is hence to be highly 
recommended. 

County School Unit Equalises School Opportunities.— We ought by all means to 
equalize as far as possible educational opportunity in our State. Our present 

C S U— 2 



O THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

plan with almost exclusive power in the hands of local boards and small districts 
cannot solve the problem. We must eventually come to a larger unit, and the 
county unit is the most feasible one to adopt, for we already use it for other 
county affairs, such as roads. Our present excellent consolidation law is not 
solving- the problem of equalization of the educational opportunity and under its 
operation there is almost sure to be much territory cut off from the benefits of 
a good high school, and good rural school advantages, too. If we can adopt a 
county system, then the problems will be studied for ^.he whole county, and much 
wiser planning will be done. 

County School Unit Means a Btisiness Administration. — The administrative side 
of the county unit plan makes a strong appeal, especially to school men. This 
board is charged with the definite duty of looking after as wisely as possible 
the interests, of the whole county; and it will study its work and know what" can 
be done for the whole educational system of the county. It will soon see, as 
everybody who thinks seriously of it now knows, that the county superintendent 
must have a good stenographer and several supervisors to put into force a 
thorough system. Now it is supervision in name only in Missouri; every superin- 
tendent knows this. Expert supervision is absolutely essential for improvement 
of the rural schools in Missouri. Give this county board large and important 
powers, have it levy the taxes, elect the county superintendent, and have ,all 
general powers; and it will soon see that there must be more supervisory help, 
and the county superintendent must be freed from the slavery of office work. 
The county board will give the people of a county a means of getting their work 
done in an efficient way. It will respond much more quickly to progress than will our 
present system. Then it will be able to study the questions presenting themselves 
in a systematic, thorough and scientific way. We will make more real advance- 
ment in ten years than can be made under our present plan in a half century. 
The unanimous vote of states operating under the county plan, and the testi- 
mony of all the experts in education is for the county unit. In ten years half 
or perhaps more than half of the states of the Union will be administering their 
school systems under some form or other of the county unit plan. Let us begin 
to study right now to put Missouri in the front rank of progress. Let us cease 
playing at rural supervision an<J come quickly to working at the thing intelli- 
gently and energetically. The county plan has many, many advantages. 

Statement by George Melcher. — Early in the nineteenth century most of the 
Southern States established good state universities, and these states have long 
been noted for their many excellent private schools and colleges, but it has been 
scarcely more than a quarter of a century since they began seriously to study the 
question of establishing a universal public school system. In the w^orking out of 
plans for this system, they have been guided and helped by the Southern Educa- 
tion Board. Within the last few years these states have been rapidly improving 
their educational system. I did not expect to find schools in the South that would 
compare favorably with the schools of Missouri; however, I was agreeably sur- 
prised. While these states do not have so la-rge school revenues as Missouri, and 
are handicapped with two races to educate, I found that they are securing mar- 
velous results. 

Rapid Progress in the South.— ISio part of the United States has made more 
rapid progress in education in the last ten years than has fhe South. For ex- 
ample, in Kentucky the reports of the State Superintendent of Public Schools 
show that the average daily attendance of the rural schools increased sixty-six 
per cent in the three years from 1910 to 1913. In Tennessee in the last seven years 
a complete system of rural high schools has been established in three or four 
counties, and such a system has been begun in every county in the state. I 
found the supervision in rural schools in these states far better than in our State. 
In a very large number of the counties, in addition to the county superintendent, 
who has general supervision of the schools, there are four supervisors distrib- 
uted as follows: First, a supervisor of primary work; second, a supervisor of 
grammar grade work; third, a supervisor of agriculture, industrial work, and 
boys' corn clubs; fourth, a supervisor of industrial work for girls and girls' 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. ' \) 

canning- clubs. In the Aveakev counLies that cannot have so many supervisors, 
we found one or two supervisors helping- the county superintendent. 

School Fa7-ms.—l found also that these Southern states are rapidly improving 
the character of their school buildings. The finest rural school building that I 
have eA'er seen is the Young- Consolidated School Building in Knox county, Tenn., 
six miles out of Knoxville. In the same county the David Farragut school is one 
of the best rural agricultural high schools in the country. This school gives a 
four-year course in agriculture; it is situated on a t-welve-acre campus, and 
leases t-wenty-eight additional acres, and thus manages a forty-acre experiment 
and demonstration farm. Both of these above-i"nentioned schools are in the open 
country. 

The People Praise the County Unit. — The people of these states are almost 
unanimous in their praise of the county unit, and declare that the progress they 
are making would be impossible under any other system. Both Tennessee and 
Kentucky operated under the small district system until seven years ago, hence 
the people of these states are able to judge accurately the difference in the t-^vo 
systems. 

Agricultural High Schools Mean Prosperity.— The four-year agricultural high 
school is as essential to the prosperity and happiness of the rural people as is 
the four-year city high school to the urban people. Minnesota attributes much 
of her prosperity to her recently established agricultural high schools. Other 
states are rapidly pushing agricultural education. Unless Missouri provides 
adequately for the education of her rural population, her future prosperity will 
be greatly handicapped. With the great wealth that Missouri has, the establish- 
ment of the county unit in the administration of her rural schools would in a few 
years give every boy and girl in the State an opportunity to secure, not only a 
splendid elementary education, but also the opportunity to secure an education 
in a four-year agricultural high school. Such a system of schools would in less 
than a. quarter of a century double the agricultural productive power of the State. 

Taxpayers Commend the County School Unit.~The committee was astonished 
at the unanimous endorsement of the county unit that they found not only among 
the people of the states that are operating under that system, but among stu- 
dents of school administration everywhere. Taxpay-ers and business men also 
praise the county unit because it brings a more economical and efficient adminis- 
tration of the school system. The saving in the purchase of school supplies and 
the erection of school buildings is more than sufficient to pay for the additional 
supervisory force that is used under the county unit, and the additional super- 
visory force increases the efficiency of the school system from twenty-five to 
fifty per cent. The United States Bureau of Education, after investigating school 
systems in every state in the Union and in Europe, recommend the county school 
unit. 



FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 

After making this tour of a few states, the committee sent out the following ques- 
tionnaire to the state superintendents of every state in the Union in order that we 
might secure as thorough and extensive knowledge on the subject as possible. 

QUESTIONNAIRE. 

The Missouri State Teachers' Association has a committee investigating to find 
the best unit for administering and financing rural schools. We find three principal 
units in use — the county, the township, and the school district (generally employing 
one teacher). 

Will you please answer the following questions?^ 

1. Which of these units does your state use? 

2. What are the advantages of the imit you use? 



10 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

3. What are its disadvantages? 

4. If unhampered by tradition, what unit would you recommend? Why? 

5. The county unit has been strongly recommended by some states. 

(a) What advantages do you see in the county unit? 

(b) What disadvantages? 

Kinds of School Units in Use. — Of the 48 states, 13 use the county unit, 14 
the township (town or magisterial) unit, and 21 the small district unit. Most of the 
officers responded. Some of them quite fully. It was remarkable that not one of 
the State Superintendents in the states having the county unit chose any other school 
unit than the county. Some of the superintendents in states having the township 
school unit chose the county unit. Several of these states are satisfied with the 
township unit: especially are the New England States satisfied in general with the 
township or town unit, although some of these regard the town as too small and favor 
the "supervision union" or a combination of two or more towns. The states having 
the small district unit are dissatisfied with that unit. All of them replying recom- 
menci the county unit. It is very remarkable that not one of these State Superintend- 
ents favors the small school district. The sentiment against the small district is 
strong and it is only tradition that enables the small district to persist, as the following 
extracts from the answers to the questionnaire will show: 

REPORTS FROM NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

Massachusetts. — Replying to your questionnaire, I wish to say that in Mas- 
sachusetts we have only one local unit of school administration, namely, the town 
(or the city, as the case may be). The school district does not survive, and the county 
exercises no functions relating to public school education. 

In general, the local arrangements here seem very advantageous, except as regards 
the raising of funds. In rural areas, the unit of taxation should be larger than the 
town. In fact, the state should contribute largely. It does not in Massachusetts, 
except to towns of certain low valuation. We unite towns in Massachusetts for the 
purpose of forming a supervision district. 

It seems to me that the town offers, under present conditions, the most satisfactory 
unit of administration, because it embraces, as a rule, both village and strictly country 
areas. A number of schools come under the school committee, and they are more 
likely to delegate to the superintendent due responsibility for the management of 
schools. So far as I am able to interpret it, the county system which prevails in a 
few southern states in reality corresponds to the Massachusetts town system, somewhat 
enlarged. David Snedden, State Commissioner of Education. 

Vermont. — Question. "If unhampered by tradition, what unit would you 
recommend?" Answer. "Supervision Union, which is a combination of towns. In 
Vermont each combination may consist of two or more townships, but no combination 
can have more than fifty schools. 

"Disadvantages of the county school unit: Lack of uniformity, in area, wealth, 
population, or schools. The basis of a unit should be the number of schools rather 
than a political division." Mason S. Stone, State Superintendent. 

The above two letters give the view point of the six New England States. With 
them the County School Unit is impossible since the town and not the county is their 
important civil division. State Superintendent Payson Smith of Maine makes this 
clear in his letter as follows: 

"The city or town is the unit of government in Maine and New England and 
naturally becomes the best unit for school administration. The county would in no 
way be a natural unit for school administration under the New England system of 
government." 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 11 



REPORTS FROM STATES HAVING THE TOWNSHIP UNIT. 

New Jersey. — ^"I am decidedly of the opinion that the best unit for administering 
and financing rural schools is the county school unit. The township is in use in New 
Jersey, but we would like to change to the county." C. N. Kendall, Commissioner 
of Education. 

Pennsysvania. — Commissioner Kendall was formerly of Indiana, which has the 
township also. You note that he favors the county unit strongly. State Superin- 
tendent N. C. Schaeffer of Pennsylvania chooses the township unit which his state 
uses, yet he says "Sometimes the township cannot raise enough money for school 
purposes. The county unit gives better chance for rural schools." 

Michigan. — State Superintendent Fred L. Keeler of Michigan chooses the 
township unit which his state uses and states its advantages as follows: "Better teachers, 
better attendance, more inspiration, better equipment. Have had no experience with 
the county unit and can not discuss its advantages." 

Iowa. — Superintendent A. M. Deyoe of Iowa is opposed to the county school 
unit. He chooses the township unit "with the privilege of consolidating twenty 
sections or more." Iowa uses the township unit. Superintendent Deyoe says the 
disadvantages of the county school unit are: "Too large. Gives politicians more 
trading stock. Removes local control and gives nothing in return. No set of three 
or five men can conduct a county school system properly. The people need to come 
into close contact with their school officers." On the advantages of the township 
unit he says, "not too large, yet large enough to distribute the taxes properly, also 
about the right size for community purposes." 

Virginia. — "The unit of administration in Virginia is the magisterial district 
embracing part of the county. Our district boards have from ten to fifty schools 
under their control. I think we have a good system, because our law provides for a 
separate school district in the case of a town which has 500 or more inhabitants in the 
corporation. 

I am inclined to believe that the magisterial district as a unit is better than the 
county unit, especially under a system like that in Virginia which unites all of the 
district boards in a county board, which has the power and the moral influence to 
dictate the school policies in each county. 

Our cities are under a city school board." R. C. Stearns, State Superintendent 
of Schools. 

The letters of Superintendent Kendall, Keeler, Schaeffer, Deyoe and Stearnes 
give fairly the varied view points of the superintendents in the states having the 
township unit. It must be borne in mind that these men have had no experience 
with County School Unit, as is stated by Superintendent Keeler. 

reports FROM STATES HAVING THE COUNTY UNIT. 

Utah.— State Superintendent A. C. Matheson of Utah, which has an optional 
county school unit law, writes- 

"In reply to your questionnaire, permit me to advise you that eight of the twenty- 
seven counties of Utah have adopted the county school unit system. This unit is 
preferred in Utah wherever it has been in operation for a number of years." 

Maryland. — State Superintendent Bates M. Stephens of Maryland writes: "The 
advantages of the county school unit are: Convenient size, large enough to justify 
well organized supervisory force and well equipped administrative office." 

Georgia. — State Superintendent M. L. Brittain of Georgia writes: "We prefer 
the county school unit because it serves the people best. The district appeals more to 
selfishness. The county school unit is equitable and just." 

Oregon. — The above three letters voice the universal satisfaction with county 
school unit that prevails in states using that unit. The letter from State Superintendent 



12 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

J. A. Churchill of Salem, Oregon, is interesting, since Oregon has a mixed system, 
partly county and partly district. He writes: "County unit enables the raising of 
more money." He recommends the "state unit" and says: "All property of the 
state could be taxed for school purposes and the burden could be more evenly dis- 
tributed. Districts wishing to carry on instruction in special subjects could levy 
district special tax. I see the same advantages in the county unit as in the state 
unit, though the distribution of the burden would then be county wide instead of 
state wide. I know of no disadvantages in the county unit. The more wealthy city 
district might object to assisting in the education of the sparsely settled district with 
-low property valuation." 

REPORTS FROM STATES HAVING THE DISTRICT UNITS. 

*'What are the advantages of the unit you use?" 
Delaware. — "None apparent." 

South Dakota. — "The school district is so unsatisfactory that it seems to have 
no particular advantages. The township unit is better, but not satisfactory." 

Montana. — "Considering the state as a whole, it has no advantages." 
New' York. — "It has not a single advantage." 
Idaho. — "Very little advantage that I see." 

Nebraska. — "A democratic form of government for the rural schools, where each 
person would have a definite voice in the ruling, is the only advantage I see. It is the 
last civic organization that has retained so much of the Old New England form of 
democratic government. Twenty-one thousand school officers are too many for a 
state like Nebraska." 

Arkansas. — "Local responsibiUty and pride in school." 

DISADVANTAGES OF THE DISTRICT UNIT. 

The above answers show the disfavor in which the district unit is held. The 
following are some of the answers to the question "What are the disadvantages of 
the district unit?'' 

Arkansas. — "No opportunity to equalize school advantages." 
Delaware.— "Division, strife, thinking in small units, 'petty' provisions of all 
kinds, 'small horizoned' directors." 

Kansas. — "Unequal taxation." 

South Dakota. — "Unequal taxation and educational advantages. Waste in 
maintaining too many schools with small attendance; incompetent -sckool officers; 
poor school houses; no uniformity in length of term in different districts." 

New York. — "It is absolutely impossible to maintain schools of the standard 
which should be maintained throughout the country on the district system." 

Idaho. — "Too expensive for the returns; employment of untrained teachers; small 
schools; small classes; lack of efficient instruction; failure to make the school serve 
the community." 

Is it not remarkable that every state superintendent in states having the district 
unit, in answer to the question. "If unhampered by tradition, what school unit would 
you recommend?" replied, "The county unit?" This is no mere coincidence, but the 
result of mature deliberation after extended experience attempting needed but im- 
possible improvements with the district unit. 

ARGUMENTS FOR THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

Some of their arguments for the county school unit are as follows: 

South Dakota. — "I believe the countv unit is the only solution of our rural 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 13 

school problem. This change is fundamentally necessary before it will be possible to 
get much improvement in rural school conditions. It will result in more competent 
school officers, equal and just taxation, and equal educational advantages. It will 
facilitate the organization of consolidated schools which are so much needed to sup- 
plant the inefficient one-room country schools. It means better county superintend- 
ents, better teachers and better supervision. It will make for economy in the ad- 
ministration of rural schools. It will give each community just as good schools as any 
other community in the same county." 

Minnesota. — "Large enough for taxation. Would insure a more equitable dis- 
tribution of school support, and would make better school administration and 
supervision possible." 

New York. — "We are advocating the town (township) in this state as the unit 
of taxation. I think that we can obtain this and it will be an improvement over the 
school district scheme, but the more ideal plan 'unhampered by tradition' would be 
the county as a unit of taxation. The county unit would make easier administration. 
The burden of taxation would not be felt so distinctly by the taxpayers as when the 
taxes for school purposes are on separate tax lists. County appropriations would 
undoubtedly be m.ore generous than district appropriations." 

Nebraska. — "The county unit is large enough to give each child in the county 
a reasonable high school education, and it would give the state a better chance of aiding 
weak counties. Schools run at less expense or by greater expense more efficient schools 
secured. Books, supplies, etc., could be arranged for on the wholesale proposition, 
thus saving money." 

Wisconsin. — "The county' school unit for certain purposes, but with some kind 
of local official for each school. Advantages: Equality of taxation and uniformity 
of management." 

Arkansas. — "More equitable school advantages, better correlation and supervi- 
sion." 

Oklahoma. — The schools could be properly graded, teachers placed where they 
could be of the most service and the educational interests of all children safeguarded. 

Idaho. — "Better schools, fewer one-room schools; better distribution of funds; 
better facilities offered to a larger number of children; better districting." 

Several other answers repeat one or more of these arguments. 

DISADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

"What are the disadvantages of the county unit?" 

South Dakota. — "The only objection to the county unit that has any force 
is that it is less democratic than the district system." 

Nebraska. — "The disadvantages that are generally spoken of are that it central- 
izes the government and that we need a decentraHzed government for our schools. 
1 am in sympathy with a centralized government and would not object to a state 
■wide school administration." 

Wisconsin. — "Lack of interest and responsibility on the part of localities." 

Several state superintendents see no objections to the county school unit, and 
the three objections here quoted; together with Deyoe's objections, are only ones men- 
tioned. A few others mention some of these disadvantages. 

AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM MONTANA. 

The letter of Hon. H. A. Davee, State Superintendent of Montana, is so carefully 
-written that we are printing it in full. He says: 
"1. Our state uses the district unit. 
2. Considering the state as a whole it has no advantages. 



14 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

(a) 1 believe there ought to be some way for a district or a local community 
to tax itself if it desires anything in addition to what the county board might 
provide for it. For instance, better neighborhood libraries, better school build- 
ings, etc. 

(b) There are cases where the intellectual and moral tone of a community 
is above the average, and where they have assessed valuation to maintain a 
good school; in such cases district control is well. 

3. (a) Inequality of district valuation makes inequality of opportunity. We 
have plenty of instances where one district has twenty times the assessed valuation 
of another district having practically the same number of children. 

(b) So much local petty strife destroys the efficiency of the school. 

(c) It is almost impossible to get efficient trustees in every district and almost 
impossible to get enough who are efficient in even a few districts. 

(d) In a majority of cases the teacher's position is one of servility because of local 
control. 

4. This department and the county superintendents of this state are unanimous 
in recommending the county unit for the following reason: 

(a) The best men of the county would be available as members of the school 
board. 

(b) Generally speaking we raise enough money in every county in this state to 
give each child ample school advantages if it could be wisely distributed. This county 
board of education could spend money where needed rather than in a community that 
manipulated affairs so as to get a long stretch of railroad. 

(c) A board of five or seven men in each county could more wisely administer 
these school affairs than a board of two hundred or more (many boards.) 

(d) Teachers would be selected on the basis of efficiency rather than consan- 
guinity. 

(e) School sites would be selected for the benefit of the community rather than 
to advance the value of the farm of some leading citizen. 

(f) Teachers would be able to carry out some definite policy because of freedom 
from local control and for the same reason the poor teacher who has a faculty of standing 
in with the leading member of the board could be removed. 

(g) Special supervisors for the schools of the county could be selected where 
desirable. This is now impossible under district control. 

The full letter of Supt. M. P. Shawkey of West Virginia is also very suggestive 
He says: 

1. West Virginia uses the township with modifications. 

2. This school unit satisfies the general desire for local government and initiative 
and makes it possible to make a fine adjustment to local conditions. Its best results 
in this state come from the possibility of employing township superintendents. This 
system of supervision could not be so well adjusted if we used a larger unit. 

3. The principal disadvantages in this state of the township school unit is the 
unfair distribution of school taxes. Many townships side by side have tax rates 
differing more than 100%. For example, one township paying a rate of 40 cents 
will have a smaller per capita revenue than a neighboring township paying only 15 
cents on the $100. The system also makes it difficult for a county superintendent to carry 
out effectively his large plans. Too many school officers. 

4. We favor a combination — state, county and township plan. The state as 
a whole should collect and distribute taxes amounting to about 10% to 20% of the 
school burden. The county as a whole should supplement this by an amount suffi- 
cient to insure average schools throughout the county. The district (township) should 
supplement sufficiently to keep up local pride and carry out local desires. That is, 
put on the "trimmings." 

5. Answers under three and four answer these questions. We believe in making 
the County Superintendent a very strong educational officer as the state and the state 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 15 

department of education must look to him for carrying out state schemes. He should 
have under him assistant or township superintendents. 

LETTERS FROM STATES RECENTLY ADOPTING THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

The answers to the objections raised are contained in the following letters from 
states that only six years ago changed to the county school unit system. 

Assistant State Superintendent of Schools V. V. Gilbert of Kentucky writes: 

1. The state has made greater progress under the county unit system in the six 
years in which it has been in effect than we had in any previous ten years. 

2. Our people are, I will say, entirely satisfied to have their teachers chosen by 
the division board instead of by the local small district board. This does not mean 
every individual, of course. You will never have any system that will satisfy everyone, 
but it is so nearly universal that I can safely say that everybody is satisfied. 

3. Yes, the people like the present system better than the old one, and there is 
no comparison between the effectiveness of our school system under the new and the 
old. I am sure that any people will be better satisfied after they once try the County 
Unit System than with any other system so far tried out. 

Hon. T. J. Coates, State Supervisor of Rural Schools for Kentucky, writes: 

1. It is impossible for me to answer your question in per cents, but I shall give 
you one concrete example. The last year under the small district system the amount 
of local taxation was $180,000. Last year it was $1,200,000. 

2. In answer to your second question, I will not say that the people are entirely 
satisfied with their method of choosing teachers, but they are much better satisfied 
than they were under the old system. 

3. In answer to your third question, will say that the rank and file of the people 
of Kentucky much prefer the present system to the one abandoned. 

Hon. Samuel H. Thompson, State Superintendent of Public Schools of Tennessee^ 
writes: 

In my opinion the county unit system increased the general efficiency of our schools 
at least 100 per cent. It has put the school affairs of the county in the hands of five 
men (usually high class) as compared to 100 to 400 aforetime, many of whom were 
elected because no one else would serve. 

The educational interest is greater in the local communities now than aforetime. 
This is due to the fact that members of the board are usually men who stir things up 
in every local community. 

The masses of the people are entirely satisfied with the county unit system. Of 
course, we do have a few members of boards who try to work political schemes, but the 
number is very small; so small as to be negligible in general results. 

I can unhesitatingly recommend the county unit for schools in Missouri and in 
all states that do not now have it. Tennessee would not think for a moment of going back 
to the district unit; in fact, there are four or five counties that objected to the county 
unit to begin with which are now coming to the county unit and will ask the next 
legislature to place them in the county unit also. There are ninety-six counties in 
the state. 

Findings of the Committee. — On April 21, 1914, the Committee agreed upon 
ten facts which this investigating revealed to them. These ten findings are worthy 
of your careful consideration, and hence are repeated here. 

The Missouri Committee on the County School Unit finds: 

1. That the members of the United States Bureau of Education are unanimous for 
the County Unit. . . . . ^, ^ ^ . .^ , 

2. That every thorough student of State school admimstration in the states visited 
and every careful student of rural school admimstration consulted at the Superintendents' 
Meeting at Richmond favors the County School Unit. , ^ i, , 

3. That the system appeals to business men and is generally endorsed by laymen m 
the states visited. . , , , . ^, 

4. That every state official, who was questioned in the states having the system, is 
in favor of the system. „ , . ^, ^ ^ ■ -^ j j 

5. That all county superintendents with whom we talked m the states visited endorse 
it heartily. 



16 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

6. That more progress can be made under the County School Unit system than under 
any other known system. 

7. That Kentucky and Tennessee, states that changed recently from the small district 
system to the County Unit, are well satisfied with the new system. 

8. That Missouri is a wealthy state and can have as good a school system as any State. 
and that it needs only adequate administrative machinery. 

9 That the states, one by one, are coming over to the County School Unit (Ohio 
being the last one) and that similar committees to yours are now at work in Illinois, Ne- 
braska, Kansas, Colorado and Montana. 

10. That the County School Unit furnishes a sound basis for an efficient business 
administration of our school system. , 

Important Features. — The Committee submits below some of the fundamental 
features of a County School Unit System. The Committee is confident that many 
of the minor details of the plan will need modification, but the main features of the 
plan have been so well tested in other states that the Committee feels sure of their 
approval. The important features are stated under Nos. I, II, V, VI, VII, and IX. 
Slight changes may be needed in Nos. Ill, IV, and VIII. 

PLAN OF COUNTY UNIT. 

I. A Coiinty Board of Education. 

1. Composed of five members. 

2. Elected by the people at large at the annual school meeting, one each year. 

3. Term — five years. 

4. Not more than one to a township. 

5. No salary, but traveling expenses. 

6. Nominated by ten petitioners. 

7. Method of election and nomination places power in the hands of the 

people. — A strictly democratic and sensible plan. 

8. So arranged that political control is impossible. 

II. A Local District Board. 

1. Composed of three members. 

2. Elected by the people at annual school meeting, one each year. 

3. Term — three years. 

III. Powers of Local Board. 

1. To be custodians of local school property and to keep property in repair. 

2. To counsel and advise the teacher or teachers. 

3. To suspend or expel unruly pupils. 

4. To supervise any building or repair work done in district. 

5. To approve the teachers' reports as to time taught, etc. 

6. To have any power delegated them by the County Board. 

7. To elect a president and a clerk from their own membership. 

IV. Powers of County Board. 

1. To elect a county superintendent and fix his salary. 

2. To erect school buildings, to repair and to furnish school buildings. 

3. To locate schools where deemed most convenient, having due regard to 

the efiiciency of the system and the needs of the people. 

4. To take care of, manage, and have general control of all school property. 

5. To control the expenditure of the entire public school fund. 

6. To receive reports from the teachers of the various schools. 

7. To elect and place teachers on the nomination of the County Superin- 

tendent, who in making his nomination shall have due regard to wishes 
and needs of each district. 

8. To change boundary lines, consolidate, or divide school districts. 

9. To establish and locate high schools and to pay the tuition in high school 

of every boy and girl in the county prepared for high school work. 

10. To provide transportation when deemed best. 

11. To provide such supervisors, assistant superintendents, and clerical help 

as mav be necessary for the efficient administration of the school 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 17 

system. Provided that at least one assistant or supervisor must be 
appointed for each 50 teachers or fraction of fifty after the first fifty. 
All supervisors and assistants to be appointed on nomination of the 
County Superintendent. Salaries to be fixed by the County Board. 

12. To provide for all office and traveling expenses of the County Superin- 

tendent and his assistants. 

13. To estimate the school budget and make school levies. 

"V. The County Superintendent. 

1. Chosen by the County Board for a term of not to exceed three years. 

2. Qualification.* — Successful experience as teaqher or supervisor of schools 

and thorough professional training. 

3. The County Superintendent is the executive officer and the secretary 

of the County Board. 

4. Powers: 

a. To visit and supervise the schools. 

b. To examine teachers. 

c. To make all reports required by law, and by the County Board. 

d. To keep a complete record of the work of the County Board and 

of his own work. 

e. To do all things prescribed by law for such officer. 

f. To nominate teachers for the various positions in the county. 

VI. Supervisors and Assistants. 

1. Appointed by County Board on nomination of County Superintendent. 

2. Qualifications for supervisors same as for County Superintendent. 

VII. Salaries of Superintendent and Supervisory Force. 

1. One-half paid by the State from the general revenue. 

2. One-half paid by the County Board from the school fund of the county. 

3. Ofhce room furnished and all office expenses, including printing, postage, 

etc., clerical help, and traveling expenses of the superintendjent and 
supervisory force to be paid by the County Court from the general 
revenue of the county. All bills to be approved by the County Board 
of Education. 

4. The salary plan here suggested does not disturb the present revenues of 

the county and State. While the State contributes a little more 
for supervision from' the general revenue, it will be relieved of any ap- 
propriations for consolidated schools. These schools will be taken 
over by the counties. 

VIII. County School District. 

1. To include all rural and consolidated schools and all towns of less than 

1,000 population. 

2. Towns of 1,000 to 3,000 population may by vote become a part of the 

county school district. 

3. Rate of levy — 40 cents by the Countj^ Board and not to exceed 65 cents 

by a vote of the people. 

IX. State Aid. 

State aid under the present district system is growing very complicated. 
More than 2,000 school districts are now receiving State aid for ele- 
mentary or high schools. Under the County School Unit, it is very 
easy to arrange for State aid to weak counties and to weak independent 
districts. The distribution of the aid will be simpler and the aid can 
be made more equitable so that every school in the State may have 
at least an eight months term of school. The amount of aid required 
under this system will be slightly more than now used for a few years 



18 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

until assessed values of property advance. Each district can be as- 
sured of an eight months term of school for less than a total of $400,000. 
This amount will include aid for establishing high schools wherever 
needed. Of this sum we are now spending $300,000 in State aid. 

Suggested Modification of County Unit Plan. — -Provision No. VIII of the 
plan seems the only feasible and desirable plan in Missouri under our present Con- 
stitution. Superintendent Churchill and Davee both mention the desirability of 
permitting the local district to levy additional local taxes to provide special courses 
of instruction, or special equipment, better or in excess of the provisions made by the 
county board of education. North Carolina has such a plan and reports that it is 
satisfactory. W. K. Tate, professor of rural education in the George Peabody College 
for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee, and for several years State Supervisor of Rural 
Schools in South Carolina, recommends the supplementary local tax. While there 
are several objections to such a plan, it has many excellent features and removes every 
objection raised to the county school unit, as it retains every good feature claimed for 
the present district plan — local responsibility, local interest and local initiative — and 
combines with it the many splendid features of the absolute county school unit. Such 
a plan will require an amendment to our present State Constitution. Your committee 
doubts the wisdom of depriving our rural schools of the many advantages of the 
county school unit for several years while waiting for a Constitutional Amendment. 
The main features of the plan here outlined may be adopted and then modified by the 
addition of the special optional local tax feature as soon as possible under our Con- 
stitution. When such modification is made, all cities up to 5,000 population and pos- 
sibly up to ten thousand or more should be made a part of the county school unit. 



ADVANTAGES OF THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

To the School Children. 

1. It means better teachers. 

2. It means more and better supervision of these teachers. 

3. Teachers will be placed where they can work to best advantage. 

4. It means better school buildings. 

5. It means better libraries and better school equipment. 

6. It means free high schools for all pupils who complete the grade work. 

7. It insures properly supervised corn clubs and canning clubs and social center 



work. 



8. It insures more practical work in agriculture and domestic science. 

9. It brings the inspiration of trained leaders. 

10. It gives an opportunity to attend the most convenient school. 

11. It guarantees to all boys and girls equal opportunities. 

To Teachers. 

1: More and more helpful and inspiring supervision. 

2. Supervisors who can come when needed. 

3. Better school buildings. 

4. Better libraries and better equipment. 

5. A chance to grow and an inspiration to grow. 

6. Adequate salaries that grow as the teachers grow. 

7. Promotions based on merit and service. 

8. An opportunity to work in a community that is responsive. 

9. An opportunity to do the work for which he has prepared. 

10. Greater permanency of tenure. 

11. The guarantee of a standard school year in every school. 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 19 

To the Taxpayers. 

1. An economical and efficient administration of school revenues. 

2. More efficient schools, more efficient teachers, and more interest in the local 
school. 

3. The equalizing of educational burdens and opportunities. 

4. The saving of the interest now paid on school bonds. 

5. More economical purchasing of school supplies. 

6. The guarantee of wisely and properly constructed buildings. 

7. The establishment of high schools at a moderate cost. 

8. Properly selected libraries. 

9. The elimination of small expensive schools, when consolidation and trans- 
portation will be more economical. 

10. The adjustment of the present crazy-quilt district system. 

To the County Superintendents. 

1. His position becomes a professional one. 

2. He is removed from the influences of partisan politics. 

3. He is given an opportunity to grow and is given an incentive to grow. 

4. His salary grows as he grows. 

5. He has his traveling expenses paid and clerical help provided. 

6. He has assistants and supervisors. 

7. He has a voice on the placing of teachers. 

8. He can see that good school buildings are erected and that these buildings are 
properly located and properly equipped. 

9. He is furnished with adequate machinery to make his work effective and can 
really build up his teachers and his schools. 

10. The position of county superintendent is made the most important educa- 
tional position in the county. 

Those interested in studying the plan further should read the laws of the states 
having the county school unit; also "The Status of Rural Education in the United 
States" by A. C. Monahan, published by the Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C; 
"The Improvement of the Rural Schools" by Cubberley, published by Houghton, 
Mifflin Co., Chicago, price, 35 cents. Also "Country Life and the Country School" 
by Mabel Carney, published by Row, Peterson & Co., Chicago. Also "The Twelfth 
Year Book of the National Society for the Study of Education." Part H, "The 
Supervision of Rural Schools," published by the University of Chicago Press, price 
60 cents. The Committee also submits for help in the study of this question the fol- 
lowing extracts from a paper by W. W. Charters, Chairman of the Committee. The 
article contains a clear statement of the Missouri School situation. 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

(Paper read before the Educational Council, November 5, 1913, by Dean W. W. 
Charters, School of Education, University of Missouri, Columbia.) 

I shall discuss three questions. 

1. What are the weaknesses of the district method of school organization? 

2. What are the advantages of the county as a unit of organization? 

3. What should Missouri do about it? 

This study is not exhaustive. A few outstanding statistics now in our hands 
have been collected. This, however, is only a small fraction of the data which 
are easily obtainable with a little longer period for collection tlian we have had. 

Section I. Weaknesses of District Units.— As I see it, the weaknesses of the 
present districting plan are four. (By the present districting plan I mean the plan 
of having approximately one sclioolhouse with one teacher to a district.) 



20 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 



Historically, the district was laid out bj' chance. Family and friendly inter- 
ests, jealousies, cliques and a rough attempt at equal area and valuation deter- 
mined the boundaries. But, however equable the divisions were fifty or niore^ 
years ago in Missouri, they have changed materially in valuation since that time- 
till we have the spectacle of one country district in Missouri assessed at $800,000- 
and another assessed at $6,000. The first has to educate 32 children; the second 
has to give schooling to 27. 

As might be expected, inequalities of all sorts exist. Indeed, the inequalities 
are appalling: and if they were not so tragic they would be amusing. A few of 
these deficiencies I shall enumerate: 

I. The first weakness of the system is the inequality of opportunity for boys- 
and girls. 

Let me illustrate this inequality in country districts lying side by side. Pre- 
sumably if John lives on one side of the road in this imperial State of Missouri 
and his counsin James lives on the other side of the road, thej' should have the- 
same chance to get an education. But if you will consult Table I you will see 
that sometimes, if they happen to be in different school districts, they have far 
from equal opportunities. If John lives in the $110,000 district and James in the 
$36,000 one, John gets a chance to go to school eight or nine months in the year 
while James must be satisfied with six months. John, while at school eight 
months, will be likely to have a first or second grade teacher at a salary of over 
$400; while James will probably be given a second or third grade teacher at a 
salary of less than $400. 



I. Table showing 



average difference between two adjoining 
of 84 counties. 



districts in eacli 



Average 

assessed 

valuation. 



Median 
levy. 



Certificates of teachers. 



Salaries. 



Wealthy 
Poor. . . 



mo, 594 
36,674 



40 
60 X 



17% third: 42% second: 33% fir.>t 
7%, State and Normal School. . . . 

52%, third: 33% second: 8%, first 
7 % Normal School 



78% over $400. 

76 % less than $400. 



This ineciuality is graphically illustrated in tlie case of districts 49 and 50 
in Boone county; 49 lies just south of 50. One has 35 children, the other has 32. 
The people of each are relatives of those of the other, and the children are just 
as much worth while in 50 as in 49. 

District 49 has an assessed valuation of $138,560, while 50 has an assessed valua- 
tion of $25,065. This means that 49 can support its schools on a 30-cent levy, while- 
50 has to levy the maximum of 65 cents. A 30-cent levy gives 49 an eight months- 
school, while with a 65-cent levs^ 50 must be satisfied with a five months school- 
With a long eight months term of school, 49 has also a $50 teacher, while the- 
boys and girls of district No. 50 have to be satisfied with a $40 teacher during their 
five months of school. With its small levy and great assessment, wealthy No. 49" 
houses its children in a $1,200 building, modern and up-to-date, containing $300' 
worth of equipment, while povertj^-stricken No. 50 has to be contented with a $400- 
house and $100 worth of equipment. 

Why should the children of district No. 50, Boone county, not have the same 
opportunities as those of district No. 49, lying just across the road? They are of 
the same breed. Their bodies are equally vigorous, and their minds as naturally- 
alert. 

No nation dares permit such glaring difference in training to be maintained- 
There is grave danger in having some children secure seven months schooling, 
■while it is denied to other children who will have equal responsibilities of citizen- 
ship. Chance boundary lines must not be perpetuated at the expense of an edu- 
cated people. 

But while the inequalities in opportunities afforded by country districts are 
often great, tliey are vastlj' emphasized and increased as between city and coun- 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 



21 



try. I found in 1911 (quoting- and summarizing from an article written for the Mis- 
souri Farmer) the following- three facts: 

In the first place, the city boy lias a cliance to go to school 176 days in the 
year; the country boy lias to stop eacli year wlien lie has gone 139 days (I am 
speaking in averages all the way through). 

In the second place, the teachers in the city are better trained than the 
teachers in the country. Of all the teachers of the State, 53 per cent are country 
teachers. Of University and normal-trained teachers there are 753 in the State, 
and of these the country, therefore, should receive 53 per cent; but, as a matter 
of fact, only 39 per cent go to the country. There are 917 holding- State certifi- 
cates. Of these the country should receive 53 per cent, but they receive only 
2 per cent. 

Of the lowest grade of certificates, the countrj' boy has more than his share. 
There are 14,429 teachers with county certificates. If the country boys had only 
their share they would be taught by 6,129; but, as a matter of fact, they are 
taught by 10,294. This means that the country boy has a smaller number of high 
grade teachers and a larger number of low grade teachers. 

In the third place, the city boy has an opportunity to. get a grade education 
and a high school education without leaving home. The country boy, on the 
other hand, as soon as he has finished the eig-htli grade has to leave home and 
live in town at great expense to himself and at a loss of the guidance and direc- 
tion of his parents. He ought to have a free high scliool within easy reach of 
his home. 

II. Not only is there inequality of opportunitj- for boys and girls, but the 
rate of taxation and the returns from the rate are unequal and inequitable. 

II. Table showing average difference between wealthiest and poorest district in 

each of 85 counties. 





Average 




Metlian 








assessed 


Median 


length 


Kind of certificates. 


Salary. 




valuation. 


levy. 


of term. 






Wealthiest . . 


.S131,151 


35 


8X 


26% third: 33% second; 
28% first: 12% State 
and Normal School .... 


73%, above .S400. 


Poorest 


19,528 


65 


6 


64% third: 31% second: 
2% first: 2% Normal 
School 


97% less than ,S400. 



Tables I and II tell their own story: 

The -wealthy district gets eight months and more of school with a high-priced 
teacher for a 40-cent levy, while for the higher levy of 65 cents the poor district 
does not get a better teacher and a longer term as it should for a higher levy. 
It gives its boys and girls only six months school under a teacher with a lower 
certificate and a smaller salary. 

I was struck by the following- facts found in Boone countj-: The average 
levy for 

8 months school is 42 cents. 
7 " " " 47 " 

6 " " " 51 

5 " " '■■ 60 

4 " " " 65 

In other words, the higher the levy the shorter the term. 

But even where the length of term is the same, the levy varies. For instance, 
in Boone county there are forty-three schools which run eight months. The 
levies are as follows: 



22 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 



Table III. Shows differences in levies paid in order to maintain an eight 

months' school. 



Levy in cents on .SIOO. 


Number of 
districts. 


Levy in 


cents on $100. 


Number of 
districts. 


140 


1 

1 
3 
1 
1 
1 
4 


60. 

55 

50 

40 

35 

30 


2 


135 

100 

85 

84 


2 

3 

21 

1 


75 

65 


2 







IV. EFFECT OF COST OF RUNNING A NEGRO SCHOOL IN 58 DISTRICTS OF 
THE STATE, AS COMPARED WITH 58 DISTRICTS IN THE SAME COUN- 
TIES HAVING EQUAL VALUATIONS BUT NO NEGRO SCHOOL. 

(1) Districts with white and colored schools. 

(2) Districts with white schools only. 

20 of (1) have higher levy and shorter term than (2). 

10 of (1) have higher levy and same term as (2). 

10 of (1) have same levy and shorter term than (2). 

4 of (1) have same levy and same term as (2). 

6 of (1) have smaller levy and same term as (2). 

8 uncertain. 

Again, by reference to Table IV, it will be seen that in the majority of dis- 
tricts which have negro schools to support there is a weakening in school work. 
This burden should not be borne by district in which the negroes live. It should 
be borne by the State, by the nation, or at least by the county. If the cost is dis- 
tributed over the whole county, it is not great and no children suffer; but when 
the district has to support a colored school, there is inequality in some form. 

III. A third weakness is the tremendous inequality of cost for service ren- 
dered. For instance, in Boone county there are seven country districts in which 
the per capita cost (average attendance) is greater than in Columbia. The whole 
situation may be typified by the length of term and the number of grades of 
schooling available. 

Table V. Inequalities in per capita cost of instruction on basis of average 
attendance. 

Table V. Inequalities in per capita cost of instruction on basis of average 

attendance. 



District. 


Per 

capita. 


Length 
term. 


Number 

of 
grades. 


Columbia - 

No. 75 


$37 
40 
42 
43 
44 
44 
49 
66 


9 
6 
8 
6 

I 

f 


12 

8 


No. 79 


8 


No. 28. . 


8 


No. 49 


8 


No. 61 


8 


No. 56. . . . 


8 


No. 42 


8 







This demonstrates that in one case we have one school providing twelve 
grades of instruction for nine months yearly, while in the other seven cases there 
are only eight grades available and none for nine months; but three are open for 
eight months, one for seven months and three for only six months. 

This is typical of what is happening all over the State. Small enrollment 
with the necessity of keeping a teacher in the district, irrespective of enrollment, 
is a prolific source of waste. Why should Columbia boys be given a chance to get 
a high school education and attend nine months a year at a cost of $37 a year 
while a country boy can at best get only eight grades and eight months or less 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 23 

and that at a higher cost? Farmers sometimes pay more for education and get 
less because they are saddled with an out-of-date district system. 

IV. A fourth weakness is an immensity of numbers that stand in the way 
of progress. There are over oO.OOO school directors in Missouri. 

"When we remember that improvement in school conditions comes almost 
entirely by personal contact, that reading about improvements helps but little, 
and that people will not take up new things until some person in whom they 
have faith tells them face to face that he has tried them and finds that they will 
work, we see how large the problem of improvement is. 

For how can 30,000 directors be reached by personal visitation? The county 
superintendent, compelled to make two schools a day, cannot spend much time 
talking over things with directors. The State Superintendent's office can never 
send out enough inspectors to meet 30,000 directors for heart to heart talks. 

The most hopeful agency we have for this work is the school board conven- 
tion. Unless I am badly mistaken, it will be the greatest single agency for the 
material improvement of country schools that has been introduced since the 
county superintendency law went into effect. I expect it to make the country 
schools grow as rapidly as the high schools have grown since high school visitors 
began a personal agitation for better high schools. 

But even with the convention and the county superintendent doing all they 
are able, 30,000 directors are quite a few. They are too scattered to get quick 
action from them. 

Quicker action would come if there were just 114 boards (one for a county) 
and 500 or 600 members. 

Section II. The Advantages of the County School Unit.— It is evident from the 
foregoing facts that quite absurd irregularities in opportunity and taxation are in- 
herent in the district unit. It is clear, too, that this unit is too small to maintain 
either high school education or adequate supervision. Moreover, the system is 
slow to improve, because the numbers of directors prohibit rapid, personal con- 
tact with those w^ho know. 

If we state the facts from another angle, we can say that any rural school 
system must have three great characteristics. 

1. It must provide children with a high and elementary school for nine months 
a year under good instruction in a good building without their having to stay 
away from home over night. 

2. It must maintain adequate supervision and direction of teaching. 

3. The burden of taxation must be equitably distributed. 

Strong objections to any change from the district unit may develop in many 
wealthy districts. The same fight will have to be fought again that was won 
when the district unit was established. Then the wealthy citizen sometimes said 
that there was no reason why he should educate his own children and then help 
educate the children of other people. Now, the protest may come from wealthy 
districts which use the same argument. They may feel that their taxes should 
not be increased by having to pay for schools in other districts. 

These objections are, of course, invalid. More than a century ago it was set- 
tled as a national policy that education is a State affair and not a parental mat- 
ter. Public education is not provided for children to make them have an easy 
time or a happy life. An education is not an inheritance handed down from 
father to son. It is given primarily to make, better voters. The destinies of a 
democracy rest on the shoulders of its citizens, and if these are not educated 
tixey are less intelligent. Therefore, the schools are a kind of prophylactic, given 
by the State to make better citizens in order to keep the State from going on the 
rocks. 

This being the case, the burden of taxation must be distributed according to 
the wealth of each citizen, and not according to the wealth of a district or of a 
parent. 

Since education is a national matter, the nation should theoretically be the 
unit, and the rate of taxation and the opportunity to get a good education should 
be the same in Tucson, Ari?r. as in Boston, Mags, That is to say, the United 



24 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

States should be a great school district in which the burdens of taxation are 
evenly distributed. " 

The education of a negro, for instance, should be a federal and not a state 
obligation. 

But this national unit is not possible, because at present we consider educa- 
tion to be a state matter. If education is a state matter, the schools should be 
supported entirely out of state funds. The State must see that the potential citi- 
zen and voter in Ozark county has just as good an education as any boy or girl 
in St. Louis or Kansas City. But the State unit is a long way in the future. So 
while we are waiting and working for it, we can easily take one step in the right 
direction and make the county a unit. 

This is not an experiment in the United States. Twelve states already make 
the county the administrative unit. These are Alabama, Delaware, Florida, 
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. 

[Ohio has recently changed from the township school unit to county school 
unit. Now there are thirteen states using the couaty school unit.— Committee.] 

Nor is it a thing of mushroom growth. Louisiana has had her plan "as long 
as runs the memory of man." Maryland initiated hers prior to 1865, South Caro- 
lina in 1868, North Carolina in 1876, and the two latest are Utah in 1905 and Ten- 
nessee in 1907. The plan, therefore, has been running long enough to be thorough- 
ly tested. And the reports of its success are very reassuring. The governors of 
several states write me stating that they and the people are in favor oi the plan. 

This is not the first time tlie county school unit has been advocated in Mis- 
souri. In 1904 President W. T. Carrington, then State Superintendent, recom- 
mended it in his annual report. He had a bill drawn and almost succeeded in 
getting it through the House. 

Even though this bill failed, the plan lias been in operation in the cities of 
Missouri for fifty years. 

To show this, a comparison may be made between the city of St. Louis and 
Nodav^ay county in certain items according to the following table: 





St. Louis. 


Nodaway. 




$537,000,000 

13,000,000 

2,165 

180 


>f 14, 000, 000 


Cost of buildings 

Number of teachers. 


415,000 
250 


Schoolhouses 


185 



Nodaway county has approximately one school district for each schoolhouse. 
St. Louis, to be like Nodaway, would need to have for its 180 schoolhouses about 
180 school districts with three directors each, a total of over 500 school directors. 
But to compel St. Louis to liave 500 directors would be the height of absurdity. For 
it has a superb school system run by twelve directors. If tvs^elve directors can run 
St. Louis schools, wliy could not five directors run the Nodaway county schools? 
If twelve directors handle the revenues from $537,000,000, five should be able to 
handle those from $14,000,000; and if twelve directors can erect $13,000,000 worth of 
school buildings and provide for the supervision of 2,165 teachers, five should be 
a'Dle to care for tliree per cent of that value of school property and twelve per 
cent of the number of teachers. If a system requiring 500 directors is ante- 
deluvian in the city of St. Louis, why is it not archaic in Nodaway county? 

The St. Louis school board now can employ an $8,000 superintendent and an 
adequate corps of assistant superintendents. But whicli one of tlie 180 possible 
districts could pay for such superintendents as St. Louis has had— Harris, Soldan, 
or Blewett? This same board places high schools and grade schools where they 
are needed without betraying its trust. Why could not such a group of men be 
trusted to locate high schools and grade buildings in Nodaway cotinty? It is done 
in 1,000 cities; why should it not work in the county? And it gives to the 90,000 
children in the St. Louis schools that which cannot be found in any county in the 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 25 

State— equality of opportunity. Every child has the privilege of going to school 
ten months in the year through the grades and through the high school. The 
teachers are all as nearly equal in excellence as equality of salary will make 
them. The children all are taught in sanitary buildings, -with free textbooks and 
plenty of equipment. And the taxes are levied equally on the basis of vs^ealth and 
not upon the accidental vi^ealth of any area surrounding a school building. 

What has worked for St. Louis and hundreds of other cities should work in 
the country. And since the county unit is beyond the experimental stage in 
twelve states of the union and its essential principles are in operation in every 
city on the continent, it comes to us with satisfactory letters of introduction. 

Section III. Tbe County Unit in Other States. — There are four elements in a 
county unit. These are: 

1. A county board of education. 

2. A district organization. 

3. A supervisory force. 

4. A financial system. 

These four elements are found in each of the twelve states. For their appli- 
cation in Missouri, some description of how they operate in other states will be 
useful. (Those interested in the plan should read the laws of the thirteen states 
using it; and for a synopsis they may consult a United States Bureau of Educa- 
tion publication, entitled "The Status of Rural Education in the United States," 
written by A. C. Monahan.) 

The County Board.— The county board is appointed by the governor, by the 
grand jury, by the General Assembly, elected by the people by wards or at large 
in the county, or appointed by the county superintendent, who is elected by the 
people. 

The number of members on the board is in some cases three, in others four, 
five, six, and beyond that in a few cases. They hold office for two, three, four 
and six years. Vacancies are filled by the Governor, by the county superintend- 
ent, by the state board, by the county board, and by the superior court. 

From a careful consideration of the facts in Missouri and in other staLes, the 
writer believes that the county board should consist of hve members, one elected 
at large each year at the annual school meeting for five years, and that vacancies 
should be filled till the next election by the county board. 

The powers of the board vary in the twelve states, but they agree rather 
well in certain respects. 

In five cases the county board elects the county superintendent for a term 
of years varying from two to four. In nine of the twelve states it condemns and 
erects buildings, and provides equipment for all schools in the county. In four 
of the states it employs all teachers, and in some of the others it has indirect 
control of this function through certification and other agencies. In several 
states it has power to levy taxes within certain limits. It is, in almost every 
case, given power to move boundaries and designate which school the children 
shall attend. They are allowed to consolidate and transport in several cases. 

The writer is of the opinion that the board should be given as complete con- 
trol of the schools as is given to boards of education in cities. They should select 
the county superintendent from wherever they are able to find the best man. 
They should be allowed to pay whatever sum is necessary to pay to get adequate 
service. They should be allowed to engage assistants and supervisors as the needs 
of the county demand. They should decide upon the location of schoolhouses, put- 
ting them, as in the cities, where they seem to be most needed. They should locate 
county high schools at the most convenient points. They should elect teachers 
upon the nomination of the superintendent, condemn school buildings, transport 
pupils, and in general have full charge of the school system of the county under 
the limitations of the Constitution. City boards have such power. Why should 
county boards not have? 

The District Board.— In every one of the twelve states adopting the county 
unit, except Utah, there is a district board in addition to the county board. 



26 THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 

The reason for this is that the county is large. St. Louis contains forty-eight 
square miles, but Nodaway county has 848 square miles. Because of this size the 
county board cannot know all the districts well, and so it needs a personal repre- 
sentative to see that the teacher fulfills his contract, that the building is in repair, 
that bad boys are not disrupting the school, and so forth. 

The number of district board members varies from one in Florida and Ken- 
tucky to three in all the other states. Their term of service is usually two years 
but sometimes three, and in one case four years. In eight states they are elected 
by the people, and in three they are appointed by the county board as its repre- 
sentatives. 

The writer believes that the district board should be elected by the people, 
because their interest in the schools should have such recognition, and school 
patrons should have in tlie district some one to whom to make complaints and to 
represent them officially before the county board. One member elected for one 
year at the annual meeting when the county board member is elected is probably 
sufficient. Vacancies should be filled by the county board. 

The powers of the district boards vary in different states. In general, where 
the county board has great power the district board has little; and where the 
county board is not so strong the district board is powerful. In six of the twelve 
states the district board elects the teacher. In one the district board selects the 
principal teacher and the county board the assistants. In five states the district 
board does not select the teachers. But in only three of the twelve are they given 
the power to build buildings or equip them. In only three of the states is the 
general control and management of the schools left in the hands of the district 
boards. 

The writer believes that the district board should express preferences for 
teachers, but that the selection should rest in the hands of the county superin- 
tendent and county board. The condemnation and construction of buildings and 
the purchase of supplies will be better handled by a county board. The district 
board should have power to repair and purchase emergency supplies within limits 
set by law or by the board without the previous consent of the board. It should 
certify that contracts have been fulfilled before the warrant is honored by the 
county board. In brief, as stated above, the district board should be the personal 
representative of the board before the people of the district and of the people 
before the board. 

The Supervision of Schools. — Twenty-nine of the forty-one states having 
county superintendents elect that officer by popular choice. Four of the twelve 
having the county unit do likewise. Missouri is one of the states in which selec- 
tion is made by ballot. But the plan is wrong. In the first place, the schools 
should be divorced from politics, and it should not be necessary for a school man 
to state his politics or work with a political party either to get a job or to retain 
it. In the second place, a good school man is often a poor politician, and fre- 
quently a poor school man is a good politician. The result of this is that often 
a school man who would do the work well is not elected, or one w^ho has done 
his work well is not kept in his position. In the third place, the expense of run- 
ning for the office is often an unfair burden to place upon a poorly paid officer. 
In the fourth place, a superintendent -who goes back for re-election every four 
years cannot be safely independent without jeopardizing his job. If there are 
those who believe that the appointing of a county superintendent by a county 
board is detrimental to democracy, he need only remember that every school dis- 
trict with six directors in the State of Missouri elects a superintendent. He is 
appointed through a board and yet democracy is not being undermined. Think 
what chaos there would be if city superinfendents had to fight at the polls every 
time they are re-elected. Regret is felt whenever it is occasionally necessary, 
but the condition would oe immeasurably worse if it had to be done in every city 
at every election. 

Appointment becomes possible with a county board. And this single possi- 
bility of having an appointed county superintendent makes the county board a 
very attractive and necessary piece of machinery. 



THE COUNTY SCHOOL UNIT. 27 

The term of election should probably be for one year, two years, or three 
years, as the board might desire. Three years should probably be the maximum 
because in three years the complexion of a board of five members, one elected 
yearly, might change. 

The county superintendent should be the executive officer of the board. He 
should probably serve as secretary. 

There should be no more restriction upon his salary than is placed upon the 
salary of city superintendents. 

It is apparent in Missouri and elsewhere that the amount of supervision 
given to country schools is lamentably inadequate. The law in this State requires 
one visit a year to be made, and this means that the county superintendent can 
seldom spend more than an hour and a half or two hours in each school per year. 
Our law makes no provision for assistants. And in general, in the United States 
the amount of supervision is lamentably inadequate. In few states are assistants 
provided. 

The writer's opinion, based upon data gathered from many states, is that 
the county superintendent should have all necessary clerical assistance in his 
office and should have a minimum of one supervisory assistant for each fifty 
teachers or fraction of fifty above the first fifty. That is, for a county of 180 
teachers under the supervision of the county superintendent there should be at 
least three supervisory assistants and the county superintendent. 

The Financial Unit.— The criminal irregularities of the district unit, so graph- 
ically shown by the figures in the first section, can be handled by the county unit 
if all the expenses are pooled as in a city and divided among the taxpayers of 
the whole county according to wealth. 

In the counties of the twelve states practices of taxation vary. In some 
states there is no county tax, in others there is a county tax and a local tax, 
and there are still other states in which there is no tax except the county tax. 

One point should be clearly borne in mind. If the county unit is to possess 
all values possible, it must have enough wealth to provide the best supervisors 
possible, and this cannot be accomplished if the cities are exempted. Every 
city in a county should be under the county board, the county superintendent 
and his supervisory assistants. By this means a salary large enough to attract 
the biggest men and capable assistants will be available. In fact, in many coun- 
ties the superintendent of one of the cities might easily become the county super- 
intendent at a large salary with efficient assistants. He and his assistants could 
attend to the city and the country together better than he alone could attend to 
the city. 

This same consideration of size and wealth reveals the weakness of the town- 
ship as a unit. It is too small and too poor to provide any better supervision 
than the district unit provides. It is an unnecessary makeshift. The county with 
no towns or cities exempted is the next practicable unit above the district. Any 
step between is too short. 

V 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 274 767 1 



D. OF D. 
SEP 4 :1914 



